Hanging On: Alice Drabbles
by My Beautiful Ending
Summary: Just what the title says. Fluffy Alice drabbles based on the song Hanging On by Britt Nicole. I own nothing. Hopefully multiple pairings. Please read and review! :
1. Anxious

**Disclaimer: I own neither Alice nor Hanging On by Britt Nicole. Their owners do. This is for pure enjoyment. **

Anxious

_You see my anxious heart  
You see what I am feeling_

Alice swallowed hard and locked the confused, scared tears inside. This …place was too strange. Jack was missing, someone was out to get her, and she had no idea if she could trust the man in front of her. But somehow, he put her at ease with his curious and direct gaze. Her heart that had been beating like a freight train ever since she accidentally fell through that mirror was now slowing down.

"A friend. I 'ope," he had said. Was he on the level?

He examined her arm –his touch was warm. Alice was almost positive he could feel her pulse.

He asked her, "Do you know why they call me 'Atter?"

Such a simple question, really. "Because you wear a hat?" she asked, going for the obvious.

"No," he said, a little defensively.

And all of a sudden, she wanted to laugh.


	2. Fall

**Disclaimer: I own neither Alice nor Hanging On by Britt Nicole. Their owners do. This is for pure enjoyment. **

**AN: All reviewers rock my socks! Thanks ever so.**

_And when I fall apart  
You are there to hold me_

"I have…a thing…about heights," Alice tried to explain, clutching the ladder, staring off the ledge. "Why couldn't you guys build this city on the ground?" she asked shakily, trying to be flippant. But really, she couldn't move. Something about heights just froze her in place.

"Look at me," Hatter said. But she couldn't move, couldn't turn. "Alice," he said, a little louder. She managed to turn her head and stare into his eyes. Her rapid pulse began to slow.

Hatter's eyes were soft and concerned. He held out his hand to her, and somehow, some way, she managed to pry her hand from the ladder and place it in his. She very much felt the spark as she placed her hand in his. She almost jumped and retracted her hand, but Hatter closed his hand firmly. "Try not to look down, okay?" he said softly. He hadn't seemed to feel the spark. Alice took a deep breath and nodded slowly.

She took a step, staring into his eyes. Hatter seemed perfectly comfortable walking backwards, holding her hand, and keeping his eye contact.

Hatter rubbed his thumb against her palm, and Alice felt the sparks again.


	3. Great

**Disclaimer: I own neither Alice nor Hanging On by Britt Nicole. Their owners do. This is for pure enjoyment. **

**AN: All reviewers are super awesome! :D  
**

_How great your love for me  
Now I see what You're thinking_

"Alice, go!" Hatter yelled, tussling with Dodo. Alice glanced from the button to Hatter, torn. She could get away right now, be safe. But Hatter –she had thought he had…died. Taking a bullet for her, keeping Dodo away… she owed him. Plus he was getting creamed. She ran back.

Much to her surprise, it was easy to take Dodo out, making her wonder just why Hatter was having problems. Of course, he _had_ been shot. But someone called 'Dodo' didn't really inspire tons of fear. Grabbing Hatter and hauling him to the lift, she ignored his cry of, " 'Ow did you do tha'?"

Once the lift started moving, Alice had the huge urge to hug him. Hatter had been wearing a vest. But she couldn't do that, so she used anger to vent her huge relief. "He almost _killed_ me!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, well, 'e actually _shot_ me!" he exclaimed indignantly from the floor.

_True,_ Alice thought, and a corner of her mouth twitched imperceptibly.


	4. Without

**Disclaimer: I own neither Alice nor Hanging On by Britt Nicole. Their owners do. This is for pure enjoyment. **

**AN: All reviewers are super awesome! :D  
**

_You say I'm beautiful  
Your voice is my healing  
Without You I just can't get by_

Once off the bus, they circled around a tree, arguing back and forth. "This is too weird!" She exclaimed, grabbing her head and running her fingers through her hair. She felt like her head would explode from the confusion.

"I'm gonna try t' get you 'ome," Hatter said.

_Yeah right. _Alice circled back around the other way.

"Look, could you just _keep still_?" Hatter asked, a bit frazzled.

"And what's in it for you?" she demanded. "You want your 'cut up front'?" she mocked, still hurt over that betrayal.

Hatter said, "Look, I don't blame you for being angry. I acted… impetuously."

"You acted _selfishly!_" Alice said, emphasizing this. Little emotion meant little guilt. He needed to feel the guilt –guilt told you that you had done something wrong.

He pursed his lips together, staring at her, and Alice thought she maybe _did _see some remorse in his eyes. "Let me make i' up t' you," he said.

No one had ever said that before. The long parade of boyfriends who never amounted to anything had always spouted, "so sorry, baby. I promise I won't do it again." And then went on like everything was fine. But it would happen all over again. And she would show them the door.

But Hatter, of course, wasn't a boyfriend. Ludicrous idea. Still…he did want to atone. Hatter was probably the only one who wanted to atone. And that was balm for her soul.

"Okay," she said softly.


	5. Speak

**Disclaimer: I own neither Alice nor Hanging On by Britt Nicole. Their owners do. This is for pure enjoyment. **

**AN: All reviewers get tons of cyber candy! :D  
**

_So I'm hanging on to every word You speak  
'cause it's all that I need_

__The horse moved slowly, and Hatter adjusted his body to match the gait of the horse. He glanced backward, watching the strange device cover up their tracks and grow grass right on the forest floor.

"It even works over mud. It's wiped the tracks clean away," he noted.

"Hmm," Alice said, a bit distractedly.

"Maybe _Senile Sam_ does have a trick or two up his… escutcheon," Hatter said sarcastically, throwing in the big word just for grins.

Alice shifted behind him on the horse. Hatter could imagine how uncomfortable it would be to someone who wasn't used to riding. Saddle sores were a pain. But she was making it much more awkward for herself because she was trying her best not to touch him. Hatter could tell. "You comfy?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and looking back.

"No, of course not," she grumbled, shifting again.

Hatter smirked cheekily. _Let's get her mind off her problem and onto a more interesting topic. _"Why don't you just lean forward, put your arms around my waist, and let my body take the weight?"

Dead silence from behind him. Then, "Yeah, I'm good."

Hatter grinned. _Mission accomplished._

But part of him wished Alice had taken him up on his offer.


	6. Light

**Disclaimer: I own neither Alice nor Hanging On by Britt Nicole. Their owners do. This is for pure enjoyment. **

**AN: the reviewers are super amazing!  
**

_Hanging on to every word You say  
To light up my way_

"What?" Alice asked, blinking in the firelight.

"_Nothin'_," Hatter said adamantly, staring into the flames.

It had _sounded _like he had said, 'Jack's a lucky guy.' But he couldn't have. Could he? Something inside her belly unknotted, and something she had been holding onto for a long time released. _Jack's a lucky guy –to have me. _Hatter_ thinks Jack is a lucky guy –to have me. _

_Hatter likes me._

A corner of Alice's mouth turned up at the thought. She gazed across the fire at the strange young man with untamable hair and a hat fetish, who was gazing up at the sky. Tingles spread through her. Even if they weren't '_we'_ any more, even if he wasn't willing to help Jack, she knew what he thought of her.

Hatter stood abruptly. "Look, it's late, and we all need our rest. We c'n… argue about this tomorrow, yeh?" He slowly walked away, but Alice remained staring at the fire for a long time.

_Hatter likes me._


	7. Whispers

**Disclaimer: I own neither Alice nor Hanging On by Britt Nicole. Their owners do. This is for pure enjoyment. **

**AN: the reviewers are super amazing!  
**

_Even every little whisper I'm  
Hanging on as if it were my life  
I'm hanging on_

Duchess wasn't happy. Not at all. This little plain girl in a blue dress was the one Jack had been running around with in the oyster world? Something inside her cold heart cracked as she circled the girl.

But she was an actress, one of the best –she had learned from the Queen, after all. She would pretend to be indifferent. 'Sticks and stones could break her bones but words could never hurt her…' Lies. Words hurt more than people admitted.

She couldn't help needling the girl; she felt the bitterness and wanted to share it, wanted to share the hurt from the words.

But Jack called her name when he left.

Duchess knew she was the queen's pawn, and she hated it. But she did care about Jack.

He called _her_ name, and not Alice's.

Words could heal, too. 


	8. Darkness

**Disclaimer: I own neither Alice nor Hanging On by Britt Nicole. Their owners do. This is for pure enjoyment. **

**AN: Sorry I missed a day or so. I have to write non-fiction things. :( but here you go! Thanks for all the reviews. i like Duchess too :)  
**

_And when the darkness falls  
I can't see what's before me_

Hatter panted in the dim elevator as it made its way up, listening to Alice protest. "You guys shouldn't have come. You could get yourselves killed," she said, out of breath as well.

"You tried to cut a deal with the Queen, didn't you, Alice?" Hatter asked. Of course he knew he could get killed, but that wasn't a reason not to come! He was more worried about her.

"I was getting close," she said optimistically.

"Ge'ing close?" Hatter asked, raising an eyebrow. "Maybe I'm wrong, but negotiations didn't appear t' be goin' so well."

"I need more time," Alice insisted, leaning against the wall.

"For what?" Hatter demanded. "Do you really think the Queen is jus' gonna …send you an' your boyfriend 'ome?"

"No." Alice stared at the floor.

Finally, she was hearing the sense of the argument. "No, of course not!"

"Because he's her son."

Hatter stared. "The Prince? Jack Heart? _Jack Heart_ is your _boyfriend?_!" Hatter exclaimed in shock. This couldn't be happening. His jaw was pretty much on the level of the floor. The Jack she was so enamored with was a Heart? He couldn't fathom this.

He felt a swell of pity for her. That would be an awful thing to find out, plus the added fact that everyone in Wonderland knew Jack Heart was engaged to the Duchess.

But…maybe …he would have a chance now.

And suddenly, there was hope.


	9. Voice

**Disclaimer: I own neither Alice nor Hanging On by Britt Nicole. Their owners do. This is for pure enjoyment. **

**AN: I like reviews...they make me feel so happy and glad people are reading this :)**

_Your voice is like the dawn  
Always there to guide me  
Without you I just can't get by_

"You don't understand! I'm not getting on that!" Alice said adamantly.

"It's perfec'ly safe!" Hatter said, exasperated. Then he took another look at the flamingo and shrugged. "Safeish."

"No, I've got a _thing_ about **_flying_**_!_" Alice said, nearly frantic. Heights were an absolute no. She didn't even like planes, so to be on this…thing without any safety, any restraints… no.

A door slammed open, and guns began to fire in their direction.

"Yeh? I've got a _thing_ about **_bullets_**!" Hatter said, equally firm.

Alice's heart rose up in her throat as she looked at the flamingo. Panic threatened to overtake her.

"Look, I'll do the flying," Hatter said. "All you 'ave to do is 'old on!"

More bullets rained down upon them, and Alice glanced behind her, staring at the Suits closing in.

"Look at me," Hatter demanded, and his reassuring, strong voice made her turn. "I wouldn't let you do it if I didn't think you'd be okay," he said.

Alice remembered what she knew: _Hatter likes me. Hatter came back for me. Hatter cares about me. _The logical conclusion was, _Hatter isn't going to let me die._

She threw her leg over the flamingo and grabbed onto Hatter, trusting him.


	10. Words

**Disclaimer: I own neither Alice nor Hanging On by Britt Nicole. Their owners do. This is for pure enjoyment. **

**AN: oops...missed a day or 2. my bad. here ya go! reviewers are like icecream on hot summer days.**

_So I'm hanging on to every word You speak  
'cause it's all that I need_

Hatter stared at her, water dripping off his nose and oozing out of his shoes from their plunge into the lake. Her dress was very wet again, and he liked the view, but that wasn't why he was staring. "Your fathe'?"

"He's here," she said, swallowing hard.

"I don't understand," he said, confused.

"Jack slipped me his watch." She pulled out a large silver watch. "RH. Robert Hamilton." She smiled, glowing with happiness. She held it out to him. "Look, it's stuck on the exact date and time that he disappeared. March 23rd. He's in the Casino somewhere." Her eyes were full of hope.

"He's lying," Hatter said flatly. He watched her hope die and her face fall, but it was true. Hearts never told the truth. He was just tricking her again.

Her mouth pursed, hurt. And he felt like someone had taken his right hand and slammed him in the gut with it. "You know, Jack took a big risk slipping this to me," she said.

"And you believe him," Hatter said bitterly. Why, after all this time, did she still trust Jack and not him? Hadn't he proved himself by now?

"Why wouldn't I?" she asked, as if she remembered nothing of what he had done.

"Because he's lied to you about everything!" Hatter exclaimed. _I would never hurt you like he has._

And suddenly, they were having a fight, arguing over Jack Heart and whether or not his integrity was intact. Finally, Alice screamed, "I don't _know_!" She looked like she was about to cry, so Hatter shut up. _If I make her cry, I'm no better than the prince_, he thought to himself disgustedly_. I might as well toss in my chips right now._

Alice looked like she had swallowed something disagreeable. "He's engaged," she finally muttered. "To a duchess."

The conniving woman's name actually _was_ Duchess, but she probably didn't know that. "So 'e's two-timing you," Hatter said softly.

"I don't think it's like that," Alice said, but her tone was unconvinced. Hatter wanted desperately to reach out to her, even if it was just to give her a hug, but… he didn't know how. 


	11. Up

**Disclaimer: I own neither Alice nor Hanging On by Britt Nicole. Their owners do. This is for pure enjoyment. **

**AN: oops again. :) sorry. here ya go. **

_Hanging on to every word You say  
To light up my way_

Alice walked alongside Hatter, who now back from arranging the meeting with Caterpillar. She stared off into the distance, thinking melancholy thoughts.

"What's the matter?" Hatter asked her, concerned.

She glanced at him, pausing on the path back to camp. "What will I do…if I get stuck here?" she asked slowly. She missed the familiarity of home. She couldn't possibly live like the resistance did, hiding in shadows, running all the time…

"Then I'll make sure you're okay," Hatter said in a firm tone, placing his hands on her shoulders. She stared up into his brown eyes, hope rising in her heart. _Hatter likes me. Hatter came back for me. Hatter cares about me. Hatter will keep me safe. _Sparks flowed all around her body from his touch.

He leaned closer, so close she could feel his breath when he murmured, "I think your luck is finally changing." He was going to kiss her; she knew it. Her heart skipped a beat, and she tilted her chin up.

"That's right, it is."

Both of them jumped, Alice a little more violently than Hatter. She stared as Jack –_Jack!_ –came walking toward them. If she had ever been the blushing type, she would have blushed now.

"Hello, Alice. I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Jack asked in his suave voice.

As Hatter moved protectively in front of her, Alice frowned, wondering where he had come from. Deep down inside her, a rebellious voice whispered, _yes!_


	12. Life

**Disclaimer: I own neither Alice nor Hanging On by Britt Nicole. Their owners do. This is for pure enjoyment. **

**AN: you reviewers rock my socks, you know that? :) thanks. **

_Even every little whisper I'm  
Hanging on as if it were my life  
I'm hanging on_

'Stuck' was the word Caterpillar used. But as Alice stared at the man she had once called "Father", she wasn't really sure that that word was quite right. _He doesn't know me,_ she thought. _How can he not remember?_ She thought desperately.

"Our little yellow house?" she asked.

"I lived –" he stopped. "I…lived…alone. In an apartment," he said in a short voice.

She named numerous, everyday things that her father liked to do, concluding, "You'd throw chick peas at the ducks," in a sad voice.

He said nothing, and something in her heart died.

"You don't even know me," Alice mumbled in an incredulous voice. And all at once tears sprang to her eyes. Her _own father,_ whom she had dreamed about for so long…he didn't even know her. And she began to cry, for the first time in Wonderland, sobbing for her broken family.

And then Carpenter said, in the slightly embarrassed and comforting tone men use when women cry and they don't know what to do, "Don't cry, Jellybean…"

"Jellybean?" Caterpillar repeated in his thin voice. "Is that your special name for Alice?'

Alice looked up with eyes shiny from tears and unexpected hope. "That's what you used to call me," she said, seizing on the words. "And when our cat Dinah died… you held me in your arms for an hour as I cried. 'Member?" she asked. "Rocking me?" He stared at her.

She pulled her watch out of her pocket. "'Member this? It's your watch. It never really kept good time, but you never seemed to mind." She placed it on his wrist, praying that he'd remember…

And then bullets spurted from the corner of the roof, but Alice realized was that Carpenter had pulled her down protectively. _Please let him remember,_ she pleaded. _Please._

**Random fact: Anyone ever wonder what that long word Carpender used to describe whatever he had to do to Mad March meant? well, I pulled it apart and this is what I think it means. "bio-molecular trans-dystrophia" (life-molecules across - progressive degeneration of tissue) Just in case anyone was interested. :)**


	13. Better

**Disclaimer: I own neither Alice nor Hanging On by Britt Nicole. Their owners do. This is for pure enjoyment. **

**AN: y'all make me really glad i wrote this :) **

_You know me better than I know myself  
Better than anybody else_

Cattle prods hurt like the devil. Hatter knew very personally, since the Doctors were shocking him in the ribs with them. He could feel the blood eek out of his ears when he screamed.

"Leave us," Mad March demanded in his robotic voice.

"Why's a raven like a wri'ing desk? The clockwork's not ticking prop'rly," Hatter mumbled as his vision spun. "Maybe crumbs …in th' butter."

"Tell me where the great library is."

Hatter stared at his white cookie-jar head and said nothing.

"Yeah, I didn't think you'd crack. Twinkle, twinkle, little bat. How I wonder where you're at. Goodbye, Hatter."

Hatter glared as Mad March came closer with a knife. _For Alice, _he thought. _For Charlie. For Owl. For Duck. For Dormie. For Wonderland._ He threw his weight backwards and flipped the chair over, blocking March's knife. Once he regained his feet, a hard thing to do when your inner ear is bleeding, he used the chair as a weapon, striking at the electric assassin.

A swipe with his knife, and Mad March slashed Hatter's right wrist, which hurt like 'ell. But it also severed the binding, freeing his sledgehammer.

Finally, Hatter thought. He pulled his fist back, and with all the strength in him, he smashed Mad March's head to bits.

_Hang on, Alice,_ Hatter thought to himself as he exited unsteadily. _I'm coming. I'm coming._

_After I find my hat, of course._


	14. Go

**Disclaimer: I own neither Alice nor Hanging On by Britt Nicole. Their owners do. This is for pure enjoyment. **

**AN: SO SORRY this took so long. I...well, forgot. review would help me remember, though! :)**

_Your love is sounding like a ringing bell  
Oh, oh, I won't let go_

Duchess found the switch for the eye room and opened the door. Defying the Queen was most likely a death sentence, but… wasn't that what awaited Jack if she didn't get him out?

She hurried in, but paused at his defensive pose. "Easy… easy, Jack," she said. "I'm here to help."

"Duchess?" he asked incredulously. He probably didn't believe she could do anything good for him. But sometimes pawns could be sacrificed for the greater good, couldn't they?

"We have to hurry," she whispered. "I bribed the guards. Put this on." She handed him a coat and hat. Grabbing his hand, she pulled him into the hall and down the corridor.

Suddenly, he pulled her to a stop. "Why are you doing this?" he demanded.

"Isn't it obvious?" she asked, rather sadly. Why could he never see it? "I care about you, Jack. I always have."

"You're working for my mother," he snapped, unbelieving.

Anger welled up in her. "I did what I had to do to survive!" she exclaimed. Working for the Queen…it was a nearly suicidal venture. It was a thin tightrope to walk if you wanted to live.

"This way!" a suit called. They both jumped, and Duchess pushed him into a corner, pressing her self against him. She would do whatever it took to keep him safe. It was the least she could do to repay him. She loved him. It was enough. 


	15. Need

**Disclaimer: I own neither Alice nor Hanging On by Britt Nicole. Their owners do. This is for pure enjoyment. **

**AN: here's a quick update for you to make up for that long stretch. again, my bad. thanks y'all!**

_Hanging on to every word You speak  
'cause it's all that I need_

"It was a Sunday," her father said, and his voice cracked. "And you were wearing your yellow dress and those shoes that made your feet hurt. _Carol_…met us in the driveway, saying Dinah had been …hit by a car."

No, no, no. He couldn't know this. He didn't remember. He was trying to get her to put the gun down. But tears began to blur her vision, and her hands began to shake.

"You ran into the yard," he continued, "and I went and found you, holding you for hours as you wept." He swallowed. "I should have known you the moment I saw you, Alice. I've been a fool." He paused. "Please forgive me."

Alice sobbed once, and then fell into his arms, holding him as tightly as he could. "Daddy," she whispered. His arms were all that she needed.

He froze. "No!" and twisted, shielding her with his body. And then she heard the gun shot.

Alice screamed something intelligible, as he sank down to the floor. NO! He finally remembered, finally recognized her and loved her! How could he be ripped from her arms now? She starred in horror and anger at the man waving a gun in front of her. But the next few shots did not come from his gun. It came from Hatter's.

All of a sudden, everyone began to run from the room.

Alice crouched by her father, clutching him, trying to hold him. "I'm sorry, Daddy. I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"Alice…I love you. I'm sorry, Jellybean. You're…on your own." And then his eyes closed.

"Daddy, NO!" Alice wailed, feeling her heart die inside of her.

"Alice, come on," Hatter said, urging her to her feet. She couldn't speak for crying. "Alice, we've got to get out of 'ere! 'E's gone."

"No…no…" she wailed.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Hatter said, holding her and steadying her as she got to her feet, propelling her along the halls.

She leaned on him because she had no support left._  
_


	16. You

**Disclaimer: I own neither Alice nor Hanging On by Britt Nicole. Their owners do. This is for pure enjoyment. **

**AN: so, i've always liked this scene. so I decided to include it. reviewers are gold! :D**

_Hanging on to every word You say  
To light up my way_

The casino shook. He sat on the steps, quietly. Emotions were so easy to get when you were a Wonderlander. But they did not satisfy. He knew from experience. Or rather, one could get emotions from bottles, but not from people. "There's one thing I've never felt, and it's the only thing I've ever wanted," the king said. "Your love."

His wife's face turned blank.

And then he knew that she had no idea what love really was. He had held his heart out to her again and again, and she, the connoisseur of emotions, never realized what it was he was offering her. He chuckled. "You've never loved me, have you, my dear?"

She made no response. He knew what her answer was. He had once thought that loving a person would cause them to change for the better. He had loved her through all their years together. But sometimes, even love cannot change a Heart.

"Don't you see, I did all this for you," he said, motioning to…well, everything. "There never was anyone else. I would have conquered the world for one smile." It was the truth.

"Don't be so sentimental," she snapped, clearly disturbed.

"Have I ever said no to you?" he countered. He had let her go along with the scientists' schemes to kidnap the oysters from their world to use; he had let her enslave their people to the teas, he had let her boss him and Jack around, not to mention killing anyone she liked. But no more.

"Stop this," she huffed. "Come along now."

The answer: he never had. But he was turning over a new leaf, however late it may be. "No."

She tilted her head back, swallowing with difficulty. Her chin quivered, and he thought he might see pain in her eyes, but it was too late for regrets –too late for many, many things. She turned and left.

And he sat there, alone, waiting for the end.


	17. Every

**Disclaimer: I own neither Alice nor Hanging On by Britt Nicole. Their owners do. This is for pure enjoyment. **

**AN: well, this is the next to last little snippet! Loved writing these ;) thanks so much for reviews/favorites/alerts/etc. They make me feel so encouraged. You all rock!  
**

_Even every little whisper I'm  
Hanging on as if it were my life_

Hatter turned away, seeing Alice hug Jack. He guessed…she had chosen. She had chosen, and it wasn't him. _Okay, then_… he thought, feeling his heart plummet down to his shoes.

"Hatter!" he heard her call.

Hatter turned around, trying to pretend like he hadn't seen her 'til then. "Alice!" he exclaimed. " 'Ey!' I was um…afraid I might 'ave missed y'," he said, shyly, feeling a little awkward.

"Well you cut it a little close, don't you think?" Alice asked with a lopsided smile.

Hatter coughed. "Well, I was…I…guess I was…tryin' _not t' think about i'_ –anyways, what I wanted t' say was…goodbye."

"Good bye?" she repeated.

Ugh, why was this conversation so hard? "And if you… y'know, ever fancy coming back…" Where was he going with this?

She blinked, trying to interpret his meaning. "You want me to stay?" she asked.

" 'ell no!" Hatter said emphatically. He knew she didn't belong here; he wasn't going to ask her to stay. "No, you should go home," he said, nodding. Only after he said the words did he actually get how that sounded.

Alice smiled tightly. "Yeah. Yeah, I've had enough of Wonderland for a lifetime."

The both laughed rather awkwardly. "Yes… I'm sure you have, right? But we had… had a laugh. Had some good times…among all the _bad _times…" and he knew some of the bad times were his fault, which made him feel worse.

"Yeah…yeah, we did," she said softly.

The silence stretched between them, and Hatter stared into her clear blue eyes, trying to put words to the feelings he couldn't express.

But Alice was the one to break the silence. "Oh, yeah," she said, taking the beautiful purple coat off and handing it to him.

"You don't have to…" Hatter began, but then cut himself off as she handed it to him anyway. "Brilliant. Thank you. That's good." _Ugh, man, find a way to say something that doesn't sound ridiculous! _ "So. We should…" he said, and his hands twitched. It wasn't much better, but Alice got his meaning, and they hugged. It was a severely awkward hug, and Hatter felt it acutely. That was going to be his last hug with Alice? This uncomfortable thing?

She pulled away first. "You know you could always visit my world. You might _like _it," Alice said, smiling.

"Yeah! We could …do pizza," he said, mimicking her accent.

She smiled then, a genuine Alice smile. "And lots of other things," she whispered.

He smiled at her.

And then she was gone.


	18. I'm hanging on

**Disclaimer: I own neither Alice nor Hanging On by Britt Nicole. Their owners do. This is for pure enjoyment. **

**AN: the last part! So thankful for all the reviewers/favoriters/lurkers. I'm glad that you've liked it so much. :D I like to write what I know people like.**

**PS -could you please vote in the poll on my profile? it's for new stories! Please and thanks :D  
**

_ I'm hanging on_

"Alice!" her mother called. "Come meet David!"

Ah, yes, the mysterious David who had saved her life. Alice reluctantly put her box of mementos away and slowly walked from her room down the hall.

She lifted her eyes to see the man at the end of the hall. Her mouth dropped open from shock. "Hatter!"

She ran, _ran_ down the hall and flung her arms around his neck. His arms wrapped around her as well, and she sighed with happiness. This totally made up for that horribly awkward hug at their parting. "Finally," he sighed.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you," she whispered, her eyes closed. It was then she realized…she had been waiting for something like this. Wonderland would always be a part of her life, part of who she was. She would always need something of Wonderland with her. And that something…was Hatter.

He pulled away from her, and she took in just how sweet and caring his brown eyes really were. How much they reflected his heart. How much they shone with love.

She felt her eyes reflect her feelings as well.

He dipped his head and kissed her so sweetly she thought her heart would burst. "I missed you," he whispered.

_I missed you, too,_ her heart sang.

And then she kissed him back.


End file.
